So, last week was my annual trip to a campground in Western Pennsylvania, where for a week, I immerse myself in an attempt at recreating medieval and renaissance life. It's something of a working vacation, because I'm constantly busy, but it is a time filled with friends, family, music and camaraderie. I love it!
Sunny does not.
I am not sure if Sunny was abandoned, or ran away because of abuse. So, either he gets anxious because he knows what it's like to be abandoned, or he is terrified of losing the human who loves him and getting stuck with one who treats him badly. Either way, he has some major separation anxiety issues.
I have a couple of friends who will take care of him if I am away. Both of them adore him and don't just stop in long enough to scoop the box and fill the bowl. They stay and spend time with him. They give him treats and his favorite kitty crack (also known as his vitamin). While it's not the same as having me there every night, he does get plenty of affection while I'm away.
You couldn't tell that from the homecoming I received.
It started with the upset meows when I walked in the door.
"Where have you been?"
"How could you leave me?"
"I had to sleep all ALONE!"
"I was only getting treats every OTHER day!!"
There was a running stream of commentary as I pet him while trying to make a bee-line for the bathroom, because my last stop had included a large diet soda for the caffeine to push me through the last hour and a half of what turned into a 7.5 hour drive thanks to an overturned truck in a construction zone. He came upstairs with me, of course, because all cat owners know that going to the bathroom alone is inconceivable.
Afterwards, I went to my room and crashed on the bed. That was when Sunny did something truly remarkable. Instead of going straight for the treat bag and swatting at it to get my attention, he did several passes of a full-body rub to express his delight at having his human home. Now, you have to understand, Sunny is not the most demonstrative of kitties and prefers his affection at just short of arm's length, where I am supposed to worship him with scritches along his cheeks, head and back of the neck. He reciprocates verbally with a roar of a purr. The reality of my stand-offish boy purring with delight while rubbing his head and cheeks over every bit of me he could reach was more than a surprise.
I did give him some treats and he continued to purr and rub up against me. He came back downstairs with me and while I caught up on emails and such, he actually jumped up on the couch for more head-butts and licks on my arm. I was stunned. Who was this strange feline who looked so much like my boy? It was obviously the invasion of the kitty snatchers while I was away.
He eventually calmed down and I brought out his gift (yes, the first thing I purchased from the dozens of merchants there was for Sunny). It was a grey felt rat, with a black cord tail, filled with catnip. Sunny approved.
It's days later and he still wants to be in the same room with me when I'm in the house (it hasn't helped that I'm working 10-11 hour days). He's sleeping on my bed through the night and generally being extremely affectionate (for Sunny that is). I'm hoping that at least a part of it will last for a very long time. Kitty snatchers or no, I'm enjoying having an almost cuddly Sunny.
